The Center for Children’s Books on the University of Illinois campus has announced its 2024 sale date
This popular sale gives Champaign-Urbana families the chance to stock their home libraries with new books for an affordable price; this year you can choose from the best selection by registering for the pre-sale
As much as we love our local libraries, there is something to be said for bringing home new books that never have to be returned. But buying books can turn quite expensive very quickly. Thankfully, we live near the University of Illinois, where we find the Center for Children’s Books at the School of Information Sciences opening its doors to the community for one of its famous book sales. These sales are often well-attended and the books fly quickly off the carts and shelves.
When and Where
This year’s Center for Children’s Books (CCB) sale will be Monday, Feb. 19 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. On this day, the community is invited to stop by and peruse the books available. Admission is free and the majority of books range from $1-$5 in price.
There will be a pre-sale this year with limited spots available on Feb. 18 from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. You must pre-register for the sale by emailing bccb@illinois.edu. The cost to attend the pre-sale is $20 per person.
The Center for Children’s Books is located at 501 E. Daniel Street in Champaign. You can park at a meter right outside of the building, as there are several to choose from.
Can I find out what books will be available ahead of time?
Nope. There are no lists of books available online and book selection varies greatly from sale to sale. You will certainly find books that are “pre-publication” at CCB sales and we have found some absolute gems that we weren’t even expecting to happen upon!
CCB said this year’s selection includes, “hundreds of brand-new children’s books will be available for youth ages birth through high school. The titles represent the full spectrum of children’s publishing in fiction and nonfiction, including board books, picture books, easy and transitional readers, chapter books, series fiction, novels, activity books and kits, nonfiction series, mass-market paperbacks, and more. ”
In years past we have been pleased to find quite the selection of informational books — especially appealing to our aspiring engineers and scientists — and extra bonuses like maps, posters, and more, in addition to a hefty selection of fiction books for elementary kids.
